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and above all....
be thankful, right?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day! We are making our plans to spend the day with David's family. I will cook a corn pudding and a pineapple casserole. We will travel, but not too far. We will watch the parade and scour the newspaper ads. We will return home after just one night with leftovers in just enough time for me to change clothes and head into work on Thanksgiving night. We will be stuffed and happy and glad that we were able to get away and enjoy time with our family.
I plan to hit a couple of stores on my way home from work on Black Friday. Mostly the day will be spent decorating the outside of the house with lots of tiny lights. The tree will be chosen and stuffed in a big bucket of water. Saturday, we will tackle the tree trimming and hopefully, someone will remember whose turn it is to put the angel on top of the tree.
It is absolutely the time to begin the "hustle and bustle", the "hurry, hurry" and the "we have to get busy squeezing in all the traditions" so that the holidays will be complete.
Can I just say...I am overwhelmed. I am always overwhelmed. My kids say "I love Christmas time!" and I think to myself, "Huh? Why?" Isn't it all just too much?
Yes! It is all too much! Even in my effort to keep it small, simple and full of tradition, I secretly look forward to the end of the holidays and the start of another new year....a clean house, no more holiday obligations and a few resolutions to be a better me and live a simpler life.
I am convinced that I have gotten to this place not because I have failed to prepare or failed to be organized....but because I have forgotten to be thankful. I know I'm not the only one. I want to replace worry and stress...with thankful and blessed. That is what I am. I do not want to wish away Christmas or any other time of the year. I do not want to long for the mundane even though it is in those days that I do not feel disappointed about anything that I cannot live up to. Make sense?
This week I stumbled across a little Christmas Challenge. The Let.It.Go Christmas challenge.
The words of encouragement I am receiving in my inbox (just 5 days worth) are allowing me the freedom to let go. Karen is funny and purposeful and her message is timely, of course...it's about Christmas. If you struggle with me, check it out.
And if you'd like to begin a short online Bible Study, join me in doing the Advent study over at www.goodmorninggirls.org. It starts on Monday!
Happy Holidays, friends!
They are here! I am thankful!
I have the freedom to celebrate my Savior...who because of his love for me....and even if there was nothing else....would be enough for me to be so very thankful!
Psalm 136: 1-26
......Give thanks to the God of heaven, His love endures forever.
Be thankful and Let it go!
Let it go is really great advice. Kevin is always telling me to let things go. I try so hard, but it is something I continually have to work on. I do love that we have simplified the holidays, but I honestly do love the new year, clean home, fresh start. I try to be thankful every single day, but I fail at times. Your post is a good reminder to slow down and make the moments count, and let everything else go.
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays Jen!
I'm thankful that we are friends. :)